Algeria’s military court is scheduled to review on Monday (May 20) the request to release Louisa Hanoune, the Head of the country’s Workers’ Party.
Hanoune was arrested on charges of involvement in “a conspiracy against the army and the state authority” in the case of ousted president's brother Said Bouteflika, according to her lawyer, Mokrane Ait Larbi.
“The indictment chamber of the military court will consider the releasing request on May 20 after the appeal filed by Hanoune,” Larbi said on Monday.
“She is in Blida’s civil prison and in a good psychological state,” he added.
“Mrs. Hanoune is accused of the same charges held against the other three convicts,” Lawyer Boudjemaa Ghechir told AFP, referring to Said Bouteflika, who was adviser to his ousted brother Abdulaziz Bouteflika, Mohamed Mediene, aka General Toufik, who served as head of the country’s Intelligence and Security Department for 25 years, and former coordinator of security services Athmane Tartag, aka Bachir.
The three are charged with conspiring against the state and army, a military court statement said.
Ghechir said Hanoune ''indeed met with Said Bouteflika'', noting that this is the only accusation held against her in the case.
The military judge ordered the temporary arrest of Hanoune, 65, on Thursday after summoning her as a witness throughout the investigation process against Tartag, Mediene and Said Bouteflika.
Official media quoted her party members speaking of a “filthy campaign against the Labor Party and its secretary general,” and demanding her release.
Hanoune's last statement before being arrested criticized the judicial campaign against businessmen and political and military officials.
“Without interfering in the civil and military justice affairs, recent arrests and prosecutions raise several questions, taking into consideration the revolutionary situation and the nature and quality of institutions that issue these orders,” the Party said in a statement.
“The majority of Algerians call for the fall of the regime first and the prosecution of all officials and businessmen concerned in order to avoid settlement of accounts and the selectivity of decisions during the revolution,” the statement added.